Cotton-chopper.



No. 864,657. PATENTED AUG. 27, 1907. B. c. LANCASTER.

COTTON CHOPPER.

uruouxon mum JAN. 31. 1001.

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BENJAMAN O. LANCASTER, OF WAXAHACHIE, TEXAS.

COTTON-CHOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 2'7, 1907.

Application filed January 31, 1907- SBrifll 355,170.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, BENJAMAN O. LANCASTER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Waxa hachie, in the county of Ellis and State oi Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cotton Choppers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cotton choppers, and one of the principal objects of the same is to provide means for connecting the chopping blades to a cultivator frame, and to provide means for reciprocating the frame so that the cutters will chop in both directions.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for adjusting the beams laterally and to reciprocate the frame.

These and other objects may be attained by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation and partial section of a cotton chopper made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation and partial section of the same. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view showing the manner of securing one form of cutter to the beam.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the tongue, 2 the wheels, and 3 the arched axle. The beams 4 are pivoted at their front ends upon bolts 5 passing through a cross bar 6 which connects the two beams. Diagonal braces 7 are connected at their forward ends to the bolts 5 and their rear ends are threaded and extend through the arched axle 3* and are fitted with nuts 8 at their rear ends. In rear of the axle 3 a pair of adjusting bars 12 are secured by clips 13 to the beams 4, said bars being perforated and adjustably secured together by means of bolts 14 for adjusting the beams toward and from each other. To reciprocate the beams 4 a pair of parallel bars 15 are secured by a clip 16 to one of the beams, and the opposite ends of said bars resting upon the other beam 4", and a vertical lever 16 is pivotally connected between the bars 15 at 17 and the upper end of said lever is located within easy reach of the driver sitting upon the seat 18 supported upon the bar 19 secured to the arched axle 3. Pivoted at 20 to the arched axle 3 are a pair of perforated bars 21, and a bolt 22 is passed through the perforations in said bars and through a series of perforations 23 in the lever 16. The cutters 2 F are provided with round shanks 25 adjustably secured in bearing blocks 26 by means of a set screw 27 said bearing blocks having a squared opening therein to fit the squared rear end 28 of the beams 41;, a set screw 29 serving to hold the bearing block rigidly upon the beam.

The operation of this invention may be briefly referred to as follows: The machine being drawn with the rows of cotton plants, the driver by grasping the levers 1G and moving it laterally will move the beams upon the pivotal point 5 and reciprocate the blades 24 for cutting the stalks in either direction.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim in a machine of the character described, parallel beams connected at their front ends by a cross bar, perforated bars connected to the beams and provided with bolts for adjusting said beams toward and from each other, a pair of bars connected to one of said beams and resting upon the other beam. a lever pivoted between said bars, an adjustable fulcrum har pivotally connected at one end thereof to the machine frame, and the other end being perforated for adjustable connection to said lever, and cutters secured to said beams, said cutters having huckwardly converging cutting edges, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMAN C. LANCASTER.

Witnesses 0. H. CHAPMAN, E. C. .MCCARTNEY. 

